Black In The Stacks: Sharing Stories of Black Librarians, Authors, and Advocates with Marquita Gooch

Marquita D. Gooch, MLIS, reflects on the pitfalls and power dynamics of representing a library system publicly, while being limited in her ability to speak freely without fear of retaliation. She talks about the freedom she’s found to be more vocal since leaving traditional library work, and shares how her experiences became catalysts for creating Life After Libraries, her podcast and web series chronicling her journey beyond traditional libraries, and Black in the Stacks, her podcast highlighting the inspiring stories of librarians, authors, advocates, and others from the African American and African Diaspora.Black in the Stacks is more than a project; it's a way to build narrative power. Marquita believes everyone has a story to tell, and encourages anyone who can to share theirs.00:00 Introduction: The Spirit of Service in Libraries01:34 Challenges and Changes in the Library System02:26 Finding Your Calling in Librarianship03:25 Going Viral: Highlighting Diversity in Libraries05:30 The Power of Storytelling and Oral Histories06:38 Introduction to Social Justice Origin Stories07:49 Guest Introduction: Marquita Gooch08:23 Personal Reflections on Education and Libraries11:19 The Journey to Becoming a Librarian14:27 Facing Challenges and Overcoming Obstacles26:13 Navigating Library Politics and Advocacy38:53 Coping with Loss and Grief39:46 Making Meaning from Experiences42:22 Life After Libraries44:30 Challenges in Librarianship52:00 Starting Black in the Stacks57:31 Advice for Creatives01:03:18 Reflections and Inspirations01:18:33 Concluding Thoughts and GratitudeConnect with Marquita by searching for ⁨@marquitatheelibrarian⁩ on most platforms. You can also visit the Black in the Stacks Website: https://blackinthestacks.com/🔔 If you haven't already...SUBSCRIBE to Social Justice Origin Stories on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@socialjusticeoriginstories?sub_confirmation=1❤️ SUPPORT THE PROJECTSupport this work by becoming a patron: https://www.patreon.com/SocialJusticeOriginStories💬 SHARE YOUR STORY OR FEEDBACKYour voice helps shape this community and may be featured in a future episode.Email: [email protected] a Voice Note: https://socialjusticeoriginstories.com/contact/ or https://www.speakpipe.com/socialjusticeoriginstoriesOr leave a comment below🎧 LISTEN & FOLLOWWebsite: https://socialjusticeoriginstories.comApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/social-justice-origin-stories/id1771268991Wherever You Get Your Podcasts: https://pod.link/1771268991Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialjusticeoriginstories/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567841874653Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/sjoriginstories.bsky.socialLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/social-justice-origin-stories/LinkedIn (Relando): https://www.linkedin.com/in/relandothompkinsjones/LinkTree for more: https://linktr.ee/SocialJusticeOriginStories?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaZzPfl3gCm5NY9C_Y-glRzwDu-8BvHfkCJaQlDihfrQxbYWC1dnxgRL2kU_aem_kmgEcokBmDt8WaAtlWQMQQ-----Social Justice Origin Stories is produced, edited, and hosted by Relando Thompkins-Jones.